Horse Racing

Bolter Instinction has earned a crack at next week’s $350,000 Group 2 Sandown Guineas (1600m) after a narrow win in the Hilton Hotels Stakes (1400m) at Flemington today.

The Mick Price-trained colt took advantage of a slow pace and good barrier to record his second win in just six starts.

The son of Exceed and Excel and De Lago Mist was given a perfect ride by Craig Newitt,third on the fence behind early leader Sylvan Power.

Its jockey Michael Walker stacked the field which saw horses sit  three and four wide in a jog-trot to the home turn.

The tactics left it hard for those to come from behind.

Jockey Darren Beadman was happy to sit wide on Mahisara in compensation for being near the lead.

In the straight, when the sprint came on, Mahisara and Instinction got clear of rivals with the latter sticking his nose in front on the line.

Instinction $31, defeated Mahisara $7.50, by a nose with Amah Rock $7.50, battling on well three quarters away third.

Good runs in the race came from Mental and Toned who made ground from near the rear and weren’t far away at the end.

Price relied on the judgment of a peer when watching the tight finish.

“I was sitting next to Mark Kavanagh and he said you got this so I was testing his judgment,” Price said.
“He had barrier one, it’s a beautiful gate sometimes, especially the way this track is.

“We were happy to take a punt and not leave the fence, the inside was off a little bit.

Price said he really wanted to race Instinction  in the Carbine Club Stakes (last week) on to the Sandown Guineas but the three-year-old had traces of mucus and Price changed his bedding from shaving to cardboard.

“He has been a nice colt who had maturity issues but hopefully he can bounce back in the Sandown Guineas,” Price said.

“If you look at his pedigree, he is bred to get 1600m and that is what we will do in seven days time.

“And in the autumn perhaps the Australian Guineas.”